Use Of Death Imagery In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Authors often use vivid language to represent actions, ideas and objects as imagery to highlight certain messages they are trying to convey. Readers of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet may well debate the effectiveness of or purpose for which the author uses death imagery. Shakespeare’s primary function of death imagery is to emphasize the theme of untimely and tragic deaths, specifically for the main characters. First, when Romeo is explaining his love to Friar Laurence, death imagery is used to explain his young age, which makes his death untimely. Furthermore, death imagery conveys the message of violent deaths when Romeo believes false information regarding Juliet’s death. Most importantly, the death of Juliet is described with the use of …show more content…

When Juliet’s father moves her wedding to Paris from two years away to one day away, and Romeo is banished for killing a nobleman, Juliet starts to feel the pressure of their rushed marriage. In order to avoid her marriage to Paris, she and Friar Laurence come up with the plan to fake her death by using a potion that will make her appear to be dead and when it wears off, she and Romeo will be able to run away together. Unfortunately, Romeo is misinformed of the plan and decides to commit suicide when he discovers her ‘dead’ body. Soon after, Juliet awakens to find Romeo’s dead body beside her and says, “What’s here?/ Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.–/ O churl, drunk all, and left no friendly drop/ To help me after? (Shakespeare 5.3. …show more content…

Initially, death imagery is used to portray Romeo’s inexperience, thus making his death untimely. In addition, to convey the message of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic and violent deaths, Shakespeare expertly applies death imagery. Above all, death imagery is used at its best to communicate the untimeliness of Juliet’s death. Many authors take great consideration when it comes to representing actions, ideas or objects with figurative language to make sure their imagery adds perspective to the story. To many readers, it may be hard to understand that developed imagery throughout a selection can essentially provide one with more knowledge regarding the

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